This invention relates generally to pillow construction, and more specifically concerns a gusseted pillow being a particular top and bottom section arrangement and an intermediate gusset portion.
Gusseted pillows are in general well known, as shown for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,851 to Hollander and U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,182 to Doak, each of which generally teach a pillow having a narrow gusset between top and bottom sections. However, the total length of the gusset in those patents is approximately the same as the total length of the peripheral edge of the top and bottom sections, so that when the pillow is sewn together and filled, the top and bottom sections of the pillow tend to curve inwardly toward the center of the pillow in defining the upper and lower surfaces of the pillow.
In general, comfort and appearance are both important aspects of a pillow. Conventional gusseted pillows are generally quite ordinary in comfort, depending to some extent on the fill, and also in appearance. The present invention results in a high loft gusseted pillow, which adds to the overall comfort and appearance of otherwise conventional gusseted pillows.
Accordingly, the present invention is a gusseted pillow with a pleated portion, comprising: a top fabric section; a bottom fabric section; a center gusset portion having a selected length, wherein the top fabric section is attached along its peripheral edge to an upper edge of the gusset portion, and the bottom fabric section is attached along its peripheral edge to an opposing lower edge of the gusset portion, wherein the periphery of at least one of the top and bottom fabric sections is larger from the length of the gusset portion, and wherein said at least one fabric section has a plurality of pleats at spaced intervals around the periphery thereof where it is attached to said gusset portion; and sufficient filling within the pillow that the pillow puffs up from the gusset portion.